


gifts left unheard

by sophiecognito



Series: FFxiv Write 2020 [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Ambiguous Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Crystal Tower Questline (Final Fantasy XIV), FFxivWrite, FFxivWrite2020, One-Sided Relationship, Pining, graha baby why are you like this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26278552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophiecognito/pseuds/sophiecognito
Summary: He really is a coward, isn't he?On G'raha Tia and (not) seizing the moment.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Series: FFxiv Write 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1917517
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	gifts left unheard

**Author's Note:**

> For the ffxiv write event!
> 
> Prompt 3: muster

Now or never, G’raha. It was now or never.

The Saint Coinach camp bustled with activity, from the Ironworks engineers to NOAH, to the very adventurer whom he was seeking. They strode from one side to the next, pulled ten directions at once, but no complaint left their lips, only a smile accompanied by their trademark nod. There was no crack in their timetable to slither through and every time G’raha tried, he too was pulled in the wave of preparations. 

“I’m only an observer,” he grumbled, for it to be yet again ignored. He caught one last glance of his harried adventurer before he was dragged to his own set of chores. The harp on his back was a reminder, like a sword over his head of his self inflicted mission as he moved samples and relics, and half-legible reports into their designated stacks.

“Thought you were a historian,” his task companion said, a tired hyur woman.

“I can be both! Isn’t that the job of a historian, to see it all a layer apart from the rest?” G’raha crossed his arms. 

“Right now you’re a sorter so I suggest you get to it.”

G’raha pouted. 

She was right and he figured, if he finished quickly, he could find his adventurer before he forgot the melody rounding his head. Watching over them all was the subject of such fervent research, the Crystal Tower twinkled in the midday sun. Briefly, his fingers pressed underneath his covered eye, red as a blood moon. The promise of answers spurred him, as it always did. 

Soon enough, he jumped to his feet, task accomplished, harp just a heavy burden with the addition of his bow. He scoured the camp for their presence as his tail swished in anticipation. 

The song had started as a whim, really. Or so G’raha told himself weeks ago when the melody came unbidden in his dreams. Well, a note or two plucked at his heart the night both he and the adventurer shared stories under a crystal formation. Hands never sitting still, they weaved a tale quite similar to the ones he had read in his youth, the ones Krile would reenact in falsettos during grueling all-nighters. 

No, not quite like those. Better. They were better. _Enthralling_. G’raha drank every word as a man supping on an oasis. His ears had been at attention, swiveling at every high and low of their voice and it was then the nascent song was born. 

The least he could do was present the song to its muse. 

“Looking sharp, G’raha!” Cid clapped his shoulder. Biting his tongue to stop a hiss, his tail puffed. “Searching for someone?” he asked with a chuckle. 

“Hello, Cid,” he said, miffed. “I am, actually. Where’s our adventurer friend?”

“Oh them? I sent them out to collect more cores from the sprites nearby,” he said as if ordering them was the easiest thing in the star. Which considering--no! G’raha would never, not with the ease Cid did. 

“Alone?” 

“They can handle themself.” Cid shrugged. While he wanted to argue, he was right. Their friend was more than capable, yet--

“I see no reason why I can’t aid them. We’ll finish collecting faster that way,” G’raha said. As if to emphasize the fact, he patted his bow. 

“Sure, why not? They went south of the camp, close to Revenant’s Toll.” Cid’s brow furrowed but he said no more. The twinkle in his eye was a trick of the sun, high in the sky. 

G’raha dashed into the wilderness, pointedly ignoring Rammbroes’ cry, the wind whistling in his ears. He would catch up to them, perhaps slay a sprite or two and like the first time they had met, jump from higher ground. Smiling at the excellent idea, he upped his speed. 

Spotting the energyless bodies of sprites led his way to the buzzing of several of them crowded around his friend. No sooner had G’raha brandished his bow and nocked an arrow, they cut through them with a final attack. 

He squashed down a newly sprung melody as he caught up with them. The current one first, the rest would surely follow. 

“Hey, G’raha!” They waved with weapon in hand. A fearsome warrior others called them, but their smile shone bright, a disarming gesture. Fearsome warrior indeed. So much for recreating his derring do entrance. “I’m glad you’re here, I-”

“The cores?” he supplied, bending down to pick one that rolled near his boots. They nodded. Sweat rolled down his neck as they gathered Cid’s not so elusive ingredient. It was quiet work, quiet work that would benefit from a song. 

G’raha’s hold tightened on a core. The remnants of levin tingled his fingers, yet it wouldn’t numb the sensation buzzing beneath his skin. Playing it would prove no obstacle; the song looped and gained intensity every time he glanced at his adventurer. Throat parched, he focused his gaze anywhere but them when they reached his side with an armful of cores.

“You think this is enough for Cid?” they asked.

How easy would it be to stall here, to lie and say no, to have a private moment again with them. He had a gift to present, G’raha steeled himself. The Crystal Tower witnessed all from its perch, reaching for an unattainable heaven, but its gaze was ever downward, boring into his soul. 

“Hm, he didn’t specify a number when he sent me out to get you,” he said instead. They rolled their eyes good-naturedly.

“Typical.” Readjusting their haul, their eyes drifted to the tower and G’raha followed it. Quietly, he bridged the gap between them, itching to take out his harp. “You would think he’d have a surplus by now.” 

“You would think,” he echoed, sneaking a glance at them. Like their trek through the Labyrinth of the Ancients, his adventurer did all the leg work. They dallied in place, unbothered by the weight in their arms, letting the moment settle between them, despite the camp clamoring for their help. 

“Is it heavy?” they asked with a tilt of their head. Shaken out of his thoughts, G’raha felt the sun warm his cheeks. 

“The cores barely weigh a thing! Don’t worry about me,” he said quickly, far too quickly and their smile shattered the pretense of sunburn.

“I meant your harp.” Laughing, they shook their head. Oh gods, of course they would notice. Of course they would point it out. 

“O-Oh, only if it’s stifling hot does it prove a bother. I used to walk with it constantly in Sharlayan,” he said, his mind catching up to his words scant seconds later. 

“The minstrel of Baldesion?” they teased. G’raha’s ears perked then flattened against his hair wishing he could both unhear and sink into the name. If there was a better opportunity than this one, it would’ve been handed on a silver platter. There was expectation to meet their words up on a stage, eyes full of curiosity. They would accept anything from him.

Now or never, G’raha. 

Bravado just out of his reach, a silly ultimatum to cling to. Biting the inside of his cheek, the song almost spilled from his lips. 

He shook his head. “Nothing quite like _that_.” A melody sang deep in his heart, but he would write it down later. Staring into his friend’s eyes, he could see in them the myriad of adventures left to experience. 

And he would be by their side, Twelve willing. 

Or so he excused his cowardice. Courage could be plucked just as easily as it could be mustered, after all. 

“Still, must have a few songs under your belt, no?”

“Perhaps.” 

They walked back to Saint Coinach, a playful promise to play a song after all of this was over, after every secret from the Crystal Tower was uncovered.

**Author's Note:**

> G'raha Tia finalfantasy you really are embarrassing.
> 
> Also his true love is actually adventuring but he doesn't know that so projection it is!


End file.
